Suicidal Experiences

In his well-known play Hamlet, Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) explains, "When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions."

I applaud the receptiveness of Destiny's Child group member Beyonce Knowles, who commendably acknowledged a sorrowful attack on a depressed girl. Knowles quickly set out to counter the attack by contacting her personally via telephone.

"I got this tragic letter from a teenage girl, saying how sad and lonely she was and how she wanted to die," Knowles tells a UK newspaper. "When I rang, she was just about to commit suicide, because she felt so unimportant. But, after we spoke, she said she felt visible again and decided she wanted to live after all."

According to 1-Teenage-Suicide.com, "For every two homicides in the United States, there are three suicides. Every hour and forty-five minutes, another young person commits suicide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students and the third leading cause of death among youth overall (ages 15 - 24). Teen/youth suicide rates have tripled since 1970."

The danger signs of suicide include "previous suicide attempts; the verbalizing of suicide threats; the giving away of prized personal possessions; the collection and discussion of information on suicide methods; the expression of hopelessness, helplessness, and anger at oneself or the world; themes of death or depression evident in conversation, written expressions, reading selections, or artwork; statements or suggestions that the speaker would not be missed if he or she were gone; the scratching or marking of the body or other self-destructive acts; recent loss of a friend or family member (or even a pet) through death or suicide; other losses (i.e., loss of a parent resulting from divorce); acute personality changes, unusual withdrawal, aggressiveness, moodiness, or new involvement in high-risk activities; sudden dramatic decline or improvement in academic performance, chronic truancy or tardiness, or running away; physical symptoms, such as eating disturbances, sleeplessness or excessive sleeping, chronic headaches or stomachaches, menstrual irregularities, and apathetic appearance; and the use or increased use of substances.

Other celebrities should follow in the footsteps of Knowles, because you never know what a letter from a fan might contain. In other words, make sure you read all your mail. Not just select pieces of mail, but all. Moreover, make sure you read it in a timely fashion. Check out the compelling lyrics to Eminem's "Stan" (from The Marshall Mathers LP) for an example of tragic consequences when mail is not read in time. Saving a teen's life can be a gratifying achievement for a celebrity.

"It's one of the things I'm most proud of in my career," declares Knowles.

But, don't expect Britney Spears' father to be so heartwarming towards teenagers.

Recently, four teens embarked on a pilgrimage to capture a glimpse of Britney's childhood home in Louisiana. Upon their arrival, guard dogs and Britney's father greeted them. Since the Spears family received death threats over the past few years, he now carries a gun in the house for protection. And, he is obviously quick to use it.

"If I'm alone, and you come in my driveway, come on my property, that's what I'm going to do," claims Britney's father.

The teens must have missed the memo explaining that, because they came on the property as loyal Britney disciples, only to be exiled under the rule of a firearm.

"To have this happen was a shock," explains 17-year-old Beth Stevens. "Britney's dad was really angry."

Even in his grave, Shakespeare can see the sorrow in that.